El Yunque National Forest

El Yunque National Forest, also called Bosque Nacional El Yunque in Spanish, is a special place in northeastern Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest System and the United States Forest Service. This forest covers more than 28,000 acres and is the largest public area in Puerto Rico.

The forest is named after Pico El Yunque, the second-highest mountain in the Sierra de Luquillo range. Other important peaks in the forest include Pico del Este, Pico del Oeste, El Cacique, and El Toro, the highest point in the forest and in eastern Puerto Rico.

Because the area gets a lot of rain—sometimes more than 6 meters a year—the forest looks green and thick, with plants, rocks, waterfalls, and rivers. There are many paths for people to walk and see the plants and animals. The forest also has special carvings called Taíno petroglyphs. Long ago, native people thought El Yunque was where their main god, Yúcahu, lived, making it similar to Mount Olympus in Greek mythology.

Naming and etymology

El Yunque is the name of a mountain peak, Pico El Yunque, the name of the forest, and sometimes the name for the whole Sierra de Luquillo mountain range. The name El Yunque likely comes from the Spanish word yunque, meaning anvil. This describes the flat, high shape of the Sierra de Luquillo mountains when viewed from the north (El Yunque Peak) or the south (El Toro). Some believe the Spanish name was also influenced by local names for the mountain: Yukén or Yuke, which may mean "white land," and Luquillo or Yukiyu, a name for the spirit or deity Yokahu and also for a legendary leader, Loquillo. We do not know if the mountain was named first or the range.

History

The El Yunque National Forest has been important for a long time. Many places in the forest show old carvings made by the Taíno people who lived there before Europeans arrived.

When the Spanish came to the island in 1493, they found gold in nearby rivers and began mining. This stopped in 1530 when the Taíno people fought back. Later, coffee farms were grown on the forest’s slopes. In 1876, the Spanish king set aside this land to protect it.

When the United States took control of Puerto Rico, President Theodore Roosevelt saved this area as a forest reserve in 1903. It became a National Forest in 1906 and was called the Caribbean National Forest. It was used for timber and even had military equipment during World Wars I and II.

After the wars, projects began to plant new trees and protect animals like the Puerto Rican parrot. In 1988, a research station was set up to study the forest. Big storms in 1989, 1998, and 2017 caused lots of damage, but workers have been helping the forest and animals recover. In 2007, the forest was renamed El Yunque National Forest to honor Puerto Rican culture. Today, the forest covers 28,000 acres and is spread across several towns.

Climate

Puerto Rico has a tropical climate, so it is always warm and wet. El Yunque National Forest has a tropical rainforest climate. It stays warm even in higher areas. It rains here all year, so there are no dry seasons. The temperature does not change much; it is warm in summer and a little cooler in winter. The days are about the same length all year. This warm, rainy weather helps plants grow all the time.

Ecology and conservation

The El Yunque National Forest has a special team that studies its plants and animals. It is in the northeast part of Puerto Rico, where strong trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean hit the mountains. These winds bring lots of rain—about 240 inches (6.1 m) each year. This is called orographic lift. The clouds and winds shape the forest in special ways, creating a unique area called the bosque enano or dwarf forest.

The forest has more than 200 types of trees and plants, and 16 of these grow only here. It was the only home of the critically endangered Puerto Rican amazon bird until 2006, when more birds were added to another forest in Utuado.

El Yunque has a special area called El Toro Wilderness, which is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Wilderness Preservation System.

Baño de Oro Natural Area

The Baño de Oro Natural Area is a special 1,840-acre area inside El Yunque National Forest. It was set aside in 1949 by the United States Department of Agriculture's Forest Service for scientific study and to protect different kinds of forests and plants. It includes a rare Pterocarpus swamp and has been important for learning about nature since 1980.

Flora

El Yunque is home to four special forest areas: Tabonuco Forest, Palo Colorado Forest, Sierra Palm Forest, and the Dwarf forest. These forests have many different plants and animals, and what grows there changes with the height above sea level.

The Sierra palm tree forest grows about 600 meters above sea level. The Sierra palm tree, called Prestoea montana, is the main tree here. It grows all over the forest but is most common at this height because the soil is thin.

The Palo Colorado forest is found higher up, above 760 meters. The palo colorado tree Cyrilla racemiflora, known for its red, twisted bark, is the main tree here. Some of these trees are thought to be as old as 1,000 years. Birds sometimes make their nests in these trees.

The Tabonuco forest, named after the tabonuco tree Dacryodes excelsa, grows between 200 and 900 meters. This area has many kinds of trees, including the laurel magnolia, which is rare and only found in eastern Puerto Rico.

The Dwarf forest, also called a cloud forest, is the smallest area, found about 3,000 feet above sea level. The trees here grow slowly and have thick trunks with fewer leaves. Some special plants, called epiphytes, live on the trunks of these trees.

Fauna

El Yunque National Forest is home to many animal species, and some are found only in Puerto Rico. Some of these animals are in danger of disappearing, like the Puerto Rican parrot, the Puerto Rican broad-winged hawk, the Puerto Rican sharp-shinned hawk, the Elfin woods warbler, and the Puerto Rican boa. There are also animals such as the Puerto Rican oriole, peregrine falcon, red fruit bat, and several types of lizards and fish living in the forest's rivers and streams.

The forest is important for birds and was named a global Important Bird Area in 2007. One special bird is the Puerto Rican parrot, a small green parrot with a red forehead. There are also many kinds of coquí, small frogs that are loved by people in Puerto Rico for their nighttime calls. These frogs have special traits, like laying eggs on land instead of in water.

Puerto Rican Amazon

The Puerto Rican parrot, also called the Puerto Rican Amazon, is a small green parrot with a red forehead and white rings around its eyes. It is the only native parrot left in Puerto Rico.

Coqui

Main article: Coquí

About 16 types of coquí frogs live in Puerto Rico, and 13 of these have been found in El Yunque National Forest. The most common coquí, Eleutherodactylus coqui, is famous for its call at night, which makes it a beloved symbol of Puerto Ricans. Unlike many frogs, coquís do not have webbed feet and their babies hatch from eggs on land, not in water.

Arthropods

Further information: Effects of climate change

A study from 2018 showed that the number of small animals like insects in the forest has dropped a lot over the past 30 years. This change is linked to rising temperatures in the forest. This loss affects other animals that depend on these insects for food.

Recreation

El Yunque National Forest is a great place for visitors and locals to have fun. You can have picnics, watch birds, or ride bikes in special areas. Camping is allowed in some spots, and there are cabins to rent. The forest has beautiful viewpoints and observation towers, like the Yokahu Tower and Mount Britton Tower.

Hiking Trails

Hiking is a popular activity in El Yunque National Forest. There are many trails for different skill levels. One long trail is the Puerto Rican Northeast Trail, which goes through the forest.

Pico El Yunque

The Pico El Yunque Trail is a main hiking path to the top of El Yunque, the second highest point in the Sierra de Luquillo mountains. It is about 8.7 kilometers long. The trail starts near PR-191 and La Mina Falls. It goes through all four types of forests in the area. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash.

Mount Britton Tower

The Mt. Britton Tower Trail is a shorter 2.6-kilometer walk to the top of Mount Britton. Along the way, you’ll see Sierra palm trees. At the top, there is a lookout tower that offers views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea on clear days. The trail has an elevation gain of about 200 meters and is considered moderate to difficult.

Los Picachos

This very short trail, just over 0.32 kilometers, leads to a high point with a great view of the mountains and coast. The plants here are special, with tiny trees and small animals. The trail is moderate to difficult despite its length.

Caimitillo

A easy 0.64-kilometer trail near the Sierra Palm Visitor Center. It goes through a forest with tree ferns and palm trees and ends at the Caimitillo picnic area. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash.

Angelito

The Angelito Trail is an easy 1.1-kilometer path through the tabonuco forest to Las Damas Pool, also called Charco Angelito. The trail reopened after damage from Hurricane Maria. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash. The trail starts on PR-988 and is the only one in the forest located in Luquillo.

La Coca

This trail is 2.9 kilometers long and goes through a dense forest with many small streams and waterfalls. It ends at the Mameyes Wild & Scenic River area. Because this part of the forest gets a lot of rain, the trail can be muddy and slippery, so good hiking shoes are important. The trail starts on PR-191.

La Mina

The La Mina Trail is closed since 2021 because of damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017. It was a 1.1-kilometer trail leading to La Mina Falls, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the forest.

Big Tree

This is a 1.6-kilometer paved trail where you can see some of the largest trees in the forest, like the tabonuco tree. The trail is steep in places. It is closed since 2021 due to damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Río Sabana

This trail is in the southern part of the forest, in Naguabo. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and reopened in 2011. The trail is 3.5 kilometers long and goes through dense forest and steep areas. It connects to the El Toro and Tradewinds Trails.

El Toro, Tradewinds

The El Toro Wilderness Trail is one of the most challenging trails, extending 4.7 kilometers paved and almost 8.0 kilometers including the Tradewinds Trail. It leads to El Toro, the highest point in the national forest and eastern Puerto Rico. The trail goes through all four forest types and many special animals. The trail starts on PR-186 in Cubuy, Canóvanas. Both the El Toro and Tradewinds trails are National Recreation Trails.

Swimming

El Yunque National Forest has many natural pools at the base of waterfalls where you can swim, like La Mina Falls and the Juan Diego area. Other places to swim include the Quebrada Grande Recreation Area, Espíritu Santo Observation Point, Sabana Recreation Area, Angelito, and Puente Roto Recreation Areas. These areas can have sudden floods and are sometimes closed because of weather.

Baño Grande and Baño de Oro were popular swimming pools built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the New Deal era. They were closed because of safety issues but are now historic sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Baño de Oro is now a garden, and Baño Grande is a scenic spot.

El Portal Rainforest Center

The El Portal Rainforest Center opened in 1996 to help visitors learn about the rainforest. It is in the El Yunque National Forest in Río Grande, Puerto Rico. The center was built to help protect the plants and animals there.

Visitors can walk on paths high above the forest floor and see the tops of trees. They can also walk closer to the bases of trees. Inside the center, there are displays about rainforest plants and animals. The displays explain why rainforests are important and how people can help protect them. The center also has a theater, meeting rooms, classrooms, and labs.

The center has faced strong storms, including Hurricane Georges. In 2017, Hurricane Maria caused damage, but after repairs, the center reopened in January 2022.

Miscellaneous

El Yunque National Forest is special because it is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest Service. There are other rainforests, but they are temperate, found in places like Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

In 2002, Congress chose some areas near the Río Mameyes, Río de la Mina, and Río Icacos to be part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

In 2021, a person named Nikolai Mushegian bought land next to El Yunque and later decided to give it to the United States Forest Service to help protect nature in Puerto Rico.

El Yunque is important in Puerto Rican stories and popular culture. It, along with the coqui and the Puerto Rican parrot, stands as a symbol for Puerto Rico and its people.